Special Education

CDE will be hosting a "Lunch and Learn" event for all parents with students heading to Transition Services.  Check out the flyer for information.

Flyer

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Child Find

• Child Find is the process of identifying and assessing children from birth to 21 years of age who may have developmental delays, be at risk of having a developmental delay due to a diagnosed medical condition, or who have an educational disability.
• Team Lead: Julie Cole

What is an IEP?

• An IEP is an Individual Learning Program. 
• The IEP creates an opportunity for teachers, parents, school administrators, related services personnel, and students (when appropriate) to work together to improve educational results for children with disabilities. The IEP is the cornerstone of a quality education for each child with a disability. 

Who should I contact for help with an IEP? 

• If you have questions in regards to your child’s IEP plan, services, or want to request an evaluation, please contact the school your child is attending and ask for a special education team member or school counselor. 

Enrollment when I have a child with an IEP

• If you are enrolling into a District Coordinated School and your student currently has an IEP, please complete the enrollment process and provide a copy of the IEP to the school you are attending.
• If you are enrolling in a District 49 authorized Charter School, you will follow the enrollment process as outlined by each of the Charter schools enrollment process. 
• District 49 Registration Office

Preschool

• District 49 offers a high-quality, inclusive preschool program that serves the developmental needs of children starting at age 3 until they are eligible for kindergarten. 

Record Requests

• Parent Request: If you wish to request a copy of your child’s special education records you can email your child’s current special education case manager and Leatha Hansz at sped-docs@d49.org in the Special Education Department.
• Other School or District: If you wish to request the special education records of a student who has transferred or moved to a school in your District, please email a formal records request form from your school or District with appropriate Identification to Leatha Hansz at sped-docs@d49.org. 

Records Destruction Notice

• The district maintains inactive Special Education Records for a period of six years following termination of enrollment.  Following general public notice of two weeks, records are destroyed.  You can choose to retrieve your Special Education records prior to destruction by contacting the Special Services Center no later than the date as noted: "By The Last Day of the Month".  Please see the table below to identify when records will be destroyed as noted under "The Following Records Will Be Destroyed". 
• Please email Leatha Hansz at sped-docs@d49.org  

By The Last Day of the Month: The Following Records Will Be Destroyed
July 31, 2024: July 2018 and earlier
August 31, 2024: August 2018 and earlier
September 30, 2024: September 2018 and earlier
October 31, 2024: October 2018 and earlier
November 30, 2024: November 2018 and earlier
December 31, 2024: December 2018 and earlier
January 31, 2025: January 2019 and earlier
February 28, 2025: February 2019 and earlier
March 31, 2025: March 2019 and earlier
April 30, 2025: April 2019 and earlier
May 31, 2025: May 2019 and earlier
June 30, 2025: June 2019 and earlier

Inclusion Info

• When students with disabilities receive special education services in the general education classroom this is known as inclusive education. Students learn the general education curriculum with supplementary aids and services as well as work on their Individualized Education Programs goals, in addition to having access to the general education curriculum and highly qualified teachers.

Transition (18-21)

• Transition programming provides post-secondary and workplace readiness and training for students.  The transition program is designed to prepare students with disabilities to gain access to the supports and services necessary to become as independent as possible.

Related Services are the supportive services necessary for some students with disabilities to maximize their educational outcomes. These services are outlined in the student’s IEP and can include support from the following providers:

School Psychologists:  apply expertise in mental health, learning, and behavior, to help children and youth succeed academically, socially, behaviorally, and emotionally through individually programming.

Speech Language Pathologists: also called SLPs, are experts in communication. They work with students to understand language and provide educational speech-language services.

Hearing and Vision Team: This team consists of the audiologists, teachers of the deaf and hard of hearing, and teachers of the visually impaired.  This team serves students to gain better access through accommodations or direct teaching of skills for access of the learning environment.

Assistive Technology Team: AT is an interdisciplinary team composed of a speech-language pathologist, special education teacher and assistive technology technician. The team provides consultative services for students with communication and academic response difficulties.

Motor Team: This team consists of occupational therapists, physical therapists and adaptive physical education teachers.  All of these therapists support student’s abilities to access the learning environment.

The role of the D49 Special Education Advisory Committee, SEAC, supports and shapes the quality services for children with disabilities.  The committee’s work is critical and the benefits support our students. The committee can increase involvement, strengthen communication and improve relationships among stakeholders.

• PEAK Parent Center
• Colorado Department of Education
• CDE - Office of Special Education 
• CDE - Disability Categories
• IEP Facilitation

• Procedural Safeguards
• Disability Support Websites
• Autism Speaks
• Dravet Syndrome
• Down Syndrome
• Dyslexia
• International Dyslexia Association

El Paso CO Health Care Program for Children Birth-21 years old with Special Needs

• Military Resource for families of children with Special Needs
• National Alliance on Mental Health
• Special Olympics
• The Independence Center
• Unstuck at Home COVID-19 Study